DWTS17 Corbin Blue And Karina Smirnoff Spent Day Rehearsing With “Michael Jackson ONE” Artists
Not sure what’s up with Karina Smrinoff and Corbin Blue’s freestyle next week, but, it sounds like they might be getting some inspiration from the “Michael Jackson ONE Cirque du Soleil” show in Las Vegas? Below is more from Vegas News. You can read the full article at the link and see a picture! This is going to be cool. I loved loved Michael Jackson!
They had spent the day in Las Vegas rehearsing with Michael Jackson ONE artists, the show’s Artistic Director and coaches, and choreographer Travis Payne, getting some Michael Jackson inspiration in advance of their season finale performance next Monday, November 25, on ABC.
After watching the show the couple went backstage to see all of their friends from earlier in the day and couldn’t stop saying how excited and inspired they were for their performance, with Corbin even saying the show made such an impact on him that he wanted to start singing again.
One of the reasons I appreciate Corbin is that he could have phoned it in but he hasn’t. He’s worked really hard with Karina to grow and learn new things. I love how they dig deep and are creative together. I love that in spite of the fact that every week he’ll get one of 2 reactions from so many people depending on how he does: If they nail it people say “so what, he’s a *trained* dancer what did you expect” and if they pushed hard and didn’t end up nailing it completely, perfectly, without a flaw, without complete character, and without complete what ever people feel is the required humility, then they get the “I expected so much more, even though it was very good, it just wasn’t what I expected of them.” But they haven’t given up, gotten cynical…they just keep deeply enjoying each other and the creative process. I’m very glad they made it to finals!
Well, Jess, I would sympathize except that’s what Derek and his partners get every single season even when they AREN’T ringers. That’s they way it goes.
Well, I sympathize with Derek and his partners too about this, I find it so ridiculous and boring to hear all over the place how Derek always gets the best partners. I swear on my life, truly, if they let Maks/Tony and who ever wanted to join in the “fun” audition every female celeb of a season and write down who they thought had the most and least potential, and give Derek the worst and give who ever they wanted the best, those very same people would still cry “unfair” when Derek made the woman look good.
And I appreciate it from Derek, and Karina, and who ever else might get a great dancer to start with and work their asses off to learn more, give more.
I think a MJ freestyle could be awesome. I just hope whatever they do, that it doesn’t overshadow Corbin. As much as I enjoyed Jacoby’s freestyle it was much too overdone with moves and guests. It sounds like Karina now knows she needs to dial it back a bit for the freestyle.
If she can do a Jackson freestyle with the energy, fierce moves and connection that her freestyle for JR was then they’ve got the Golden Ticket.
I think Karina and Corbin as well as Derek and Amber will both have ah-mazing freestyle performances.
I really wish I believed Corbin would win, regardless of his freestyle. A trained dancer and not with the most popular pro – Karina has a LOT of people who do not like or connect with her, so although I will be voting for them – I just do not believe they will win. I hope to be proven wrong.
It doesn’t matter how amazing Corbin and Karina’s freestyle is. Derek and Amber will get it. Not to mention the fact that DWTS has thrown Corbin’s background in the viewers faces over and over again. They just wanted Corbin there for entertainment, but they never had any intention of letting him win.
@Irina – I was one of those viewers that wasn’t too fond of her previously but her professionalism and maturity awesome she displayed after her breakup with Maks won me over. Not to mention she is probably one of the best choreographers on the show.
In the end Corbin probably will win.
@Em – “They just wanted Corbin there for entertainment, but they never had any intention of letting him win.”
Where did you read that at?
@It’s obvious Sandy. Corbin’s packages alone are damaging. They had one package showing him consistently on the phone and people slammed him on the sites for being rude. Problem is the show didn’t bother to inform the viewers that he was working on an anti-bullying project. Second, they show Corbin helping Karina with the choreo for the jazz routine and Whitney stating how Corbin was on Broadway. Third, they create a package with Kenny Ortega and Debbie Allen.
The haters have been chatting about that last package for days now. EVERY opportunity, DWTS threw Corbin’s background in the viewer’s faces, knowing the backlash in the past with ringers.
Next, Brooke conveniently asked Bill on the show about “non dancers” and how the experience was for him. Then DWTS decided to do a package, asking the pros what it was like to teach someone with a dance background versus not having a background.
DWTS fed into the debate with ringers and they didn’t do Corbin any favors. They knew it would damage his chances of winning, but it doesn’t matter since he brings the illusion of competition to the show. Corbin was there just for entertainment.
At least he got paid.
Have we forgotten about Jack? He very well could take that MBT as well.
Corbin’s packages were no more damaging that Nicole’s were, and she won. They showed Nicole giving choreo ideas to Derek. They showed her crying alot. Unfortunately for YOU, nothing in Corbin’s packages, including Kenny and Debi is false – it’s all true. He IS a massive ringer. He was trained by Debbie and he was on Broadway. It’s the TRUTH – they weren’t making shit up about him, nor were they particularly misleading. BFD. Sometimes the ringers win, and sometimes they don’t.
ALL contestant’s and pros have haters. All of them. There have been freaks bashing Bill. There have been people bashing Amber. Brooke has ALWAYS asked the stupid assed questions about previous dance experience, and before her Samantha asked similar questions. NONE of this is new.
You clearly spend too much time listening to haters. Haters HATE. They are pathetic individuals who have nothing better to do and nothing better to talk about. They are not the majority of the audience, by any stretch. And guess what? You may think that Corbin has all this stuff stacked against him, but his biggest competition, Amber, has DEREK for a partner – they guy with four trophies. They all have obstacles. Deal.
Here’s the thing about my first post, I wasn’t even saying I sympathized or felt sorry for them, I just said I appreciated that they didn’t phone it in and didn’t get jaded. I agree that the packages they gave Nicole were brutal, made her look to be a whiny diva at times. And I absolutely appreciate that those 2 pushed for brilliant performances. To date, they have most of my top ever performances that I want to watch over and over. They created magic. Their foxtrot, quickstep, paso etc etc. Truly brilliant.
I think Corbin could win, I think Amber could win, I think Jack could win, I think Bill could win. I kind of think Jack might take it. I’m glad they all 4 made it to the finals and I’ll be happy with any win.
I somehow feel that there is a difference between haters choosing to hate, and the producers choosing to show packages that do you no favors, or having judges with an agenda. One should have no expectation about people’s opinions, behavior or preferences, but there should be some expectation from the ones in charge with the environment of the show/”contest”.
I’m new to DWTS (been watching it since S15), but I always wonder where does Karina find the strength and motivation to play this dancing game not having the production or the judges on her side. It seems to me that whenever she has the luck of a good partner (Apolo, Corbin), the uphill battle with the producers and the judges begins.
Probably this has happened to many other pros along the way, which I do not know. Haven’t gone back to earlier seasons of the show.
Anyways, one thing I’m very happy about is the dancing partnership between Corbin and Karina. He seems to appreciate her and enjoy dancing with her no matter what. Their strong partnership gives them strength to play hard, take risks and just enjoy their moment together on the dance floor.
Now that’s a funny joke, calling PH or CS a coward. I’ve been put on moderation before, so what, it doesn’t make them losers. It makes them be responsible for their blog site. While like minds congregate such that often the expressed opinions echo one another, dissenting opinions aren’t banned. One just has to take the time to try to express them respectfully. And if one at times fails in that regard, take the heat and get on with it.
@Anna- I think a lot of people get the bad packages once in a while or for a whole season. Perhaps some people are just looking for something bad, but I don’t think Corbin and Karina have gotten anything too crazy. The producers only have about 2 minutes of many hours worth of footage, so they have to create some kind of story line in that time to keep viewers interested. It’s the name of the game that all couples go through.
To me, injuries really get the worst of the producer edits and this season (of the finalists) it’s Amber. I think it’s been weeks since they focused on anything other than her injury. I remember Derek saying in Season 11 with Jennifer that he wished they focused on things other than her injuries because there is a lot of laughing and having fun as well.
Anna, Karina’s first season as a pro was season 3 with Mario Lopez as her partner. She was just coming off competitive dancing and I think she still had an ultra-competitive mind set with regards to the show. Either way she pushed the envelope and the judges a bit with her International Tango for Mario. I can’t quite remember what the big deal was (I’m getting senile!), I think she broke hold during it which vexed Len in particular.
She did some absolutely fantastic dances with Mario, some like their Mambo, Paso and Rumba I still watch quite a bit. However, some people felt that Mario was a ringer and that they both had a bit of an attitude. Likable Emmitt and Cheryl took the Mirrorball over Karina and Mario that season.
I think it was during her season with Billy Ray Cyrus as her partner that changed how she views the show, but not at first. Can you imagine her frustration? Dancing with Slavik and then having Billy Ray as your partner? I remember her having a mini-breakdown and disappearing into the bathroom during practice. You could clearly hear her crying in there.
Since that season I think she’s reset the way she views the show. Some seasons you get a good dancer, some seasons you get Steve Jobs. Some weeks the judges like you, sometimes they don’t. Her outlook has seasoned and matured. I don’t think she takes it personally. What I love about her is that even though she has come to terms with things out of her control, she still hasn’t lost her inner fire.
Jeez, what a nimrod! I meant Steve Wozniak, not Steve Jobs.
What I said about Karina vs. the production was not meant to be read as Karina compared to other pros vs. production.
I came to watch the show after discovering and watching endlessly Karina and Slavik on YT. So, when the opportunity for more memorable dancing comes along in a partnership like the one with Corbin, I get frustrated that the show/judges don’t show more appreciation.
But I realize that my frustration with the judges and the packages is nothing new to many of you who are veterans of the show. And I also get that DWTS is a business after all, so the producers need to handle the inputs (stars, pros) to maximize their profits, ratings, etc. It’s all good. I’m sure I’ll enjoy the dancing in the finals by all the couples, and whatever the outcome I’ll be very happy.
Let’s all have a moment of silence for Em, who fed her need for attention by announcing to everyone that she’s leaving and never coming back. 😉
A note on rehearsal packages: as Heidi & I have said before, almost every couple gets a bad package at least once per season; but to accuse the producers, editors, other staff, etc. of DELIBERATELY trying to paint a certain couple in a bad light is just not in the DWTS DNA. This has been confirmed to us by multiple insiders (people privy to the raw footage) – when it comes to the rehearsal packages, what you see is pretty much what you get. If a couple is constantly fighting and at each others’ throats (a la Hope & Maks in season 13), that’s what their packages are going to reflect – drama and negativity; if a couple gets along well and don’t really argue, their packages are going to come across pretty positive. They basically have to pore through hours upon hours of rehearsal footage each week and cobble together an interesting, 45-second snippet that accurately portrays that particular couple’s journey in a particular week – so if the couple was having a hard time and got into a fight, it will probably end up in the package; but you know what will also likely end up in the package? The couple resolving their differences. Just try to remember that it’s just a roughly 45 second segment that fills you in on what happened with a couple that week – it’s not meant to illustrate every waking moment the couple spent together in rehearsal. And as the competition drags on each season, towards week 6 almost ALL the couples start to feel the pressure, and almost all of the couples have at least one argument. It happens, and then they move on. Now where you start to run into problems is when a couple isn’t particularly interesting (apparently Rob & Cheryl’s rehearsals in season 13 were a real snooze, and the editors had kind of a hard time putting together packages for them that actually made them look lively & fun) or a couple is constantly fighting (that seemed to be the case with Hope & Maks in season 13, to the point where the editors were really struggling to put together packages for them that weren’t 90% yelling and swearing). But again, the WYSIWYG principle applies: if the rehearsal package is predominantly negative, it’s most likely because the couple is predominantly negative in rehearsal; if the rehearsal package is predominatly upbeat & positive, it’s most likely because the couple is predominantly upbeat & positive in rehearsal.
Jess, I wasn’t responding to you with my post, I don’t think. I think it was the late great Em who earned that response from me.
I don’t think you were ever intentionally put on Moderation, Jess. I have installed a bunch of trip wires for certain occasions which may have sent you there through no fault of your own. 😀 Happens to a few people every day. And it’s specially created for people like “Em”. Ha!
Thanks Courtney.
Yeah, I kind of knew that sometimes I trip a wire but I just wanted that person to realize they weren’t all that special to be on moderation, and that being bitchy doesn’t make them brave against you “cowards”. And I really hate when people try to make it seem like they can’t have a contrary opinion just because they aren’t allowed to be disrespectful or don’t get that this *opinion blog* belongs to you all and that you have the right to say what you want and do what you want.
Corbin and Karina and MJ One? I love this idea!!!